ROBERT BINGHAM

Reverend Robert Eldon Bingham, Baptist minister, Athens, Ga., died January 30, 2010 in Athens. He was 84 years old. He was a native of Kansas City, Mo., the son of Carl and Bertha Bingham. He earned his BS from Kansas University and continued his education at Columbia, Harvard and Furman University. He was a Gheen's Lecturer at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and an Adjunct Professor at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as a Lieutenant JG in the US Navy during World War II. He was Minister of Education and Administration at First Baptist Church, St. Joseph, Mo., (1948-1952), First Baptist Church, Greenville, SC (1952-1960) and Wieuca Road Baptist Church, Atlanta, (1960-1971). He served as Vice President of Services of the Home Mission Board, Atlanta, from 1972 until his retirement in 1989. Avocationally, he was an author and world traveler. He traveled to 46 countries and throughout the 50 states, serving as a consultant in Japan, Australia and Northern Ireland. He wrote seven books and published more than 200 articles in religious journals. He and his wife also conducted conferences on coping with long term illness. He was preceded in death by his wife, Opha Stump Bingham, and two brothers, Harold Bingham (Sarah), Fairway, Kan., and Charles Bingham (Ginny), Calabash, NC. Survivors include two daughters, Linda Lacy (Michael), Athens, and Nancy Dunaway (Joe), Bloomington, Minn.; granddaughter, Beth Heffner (David), Lexington, SC, six nephews and two nieces. Most importantly, he was a loving and devoted husband, father, and grandfather and a loyal friend who cared deeply about both the spiritual and material needs of humankind. A sports, gardening, and train enthusiast, he loved music and enjoyed singing in choirs and as a soloist. He was a member of Wieuca Road Baptist Church, Atlanta, from 1960- 2004 and a member of First Baptist Church, Athens, from 2004-2010. Family will receive friends at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, in the Heritage Room at Wieuca Road Baptist Church. A service celebrating his life will follow at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary. There will be no interment since the body was willed to Emory University for medical research. In lieu of flowers, the family requests contributions be made to support missions at Wieuca Road Baptist Church, 3626 Peachtree Rd, Atlanta, GA 30326. Lord and Stephens, East, Athens, is in charge of arrangements.